Graduate Student Position(s) for Research on Effects of the 2011 Flood on Missouri River Floodplain Vegetation
I'm looking for 1-2 graduate students (M.S. or Ph.D.) to work on a project to characterize the effects of the 2011 flood on floodplain forest vegetation along the Missouri River. Field work will commence in June 2012 and will likely concentrate on segments of the Missouri River in South Dakota and Nebraska, although opportunities may also exist to work on segments in North Dakota, Montana, and Iowa. The graduate student will lead a vegetation sampling crew during the summer and will be responsible for data analysis and vegetation mapping using GIS for his/her Research Assistantship during the academic year. Precise thesis topic is somewhat flexible, but should fit within the broad objectives of the project. Funding is available for summer 2012 and will include a stipend for the graduate student and funds for several field assistants, travel expenses, and field supplies. Research funding for subsequent summers is likely, but has not yet been secured. The student will be supported during the academic year on a Research Assistantship during year 1 and by Research or Teaching Assistantships in subsequent years, plus a partial tuition waiver. The ideal candidate will have strong skills in plant identification, experience in sampling in riparian plant communities, experience mapping land cover using ArcGIS, solid analytical and writing skills, and strong organizational and supervisory skills. The ability to supervise a field crew and to plan and implement field sampling logistics will be an important component of the position(s). Experience operating a motor boat on large rivers would also be a plus. Field work will require work for extended periods of time under sometimes ardu! ous field conditions and in remote locations away from campus. The student(s) will enroll in the graduate program of the Department of Biology at the University of South Dakota, in Vermillion, SD (http://www.usd.edu/arts-and-sciences/biology/index.cfm), in the lab of Dr. Mark Dixon (http://www.usd.edu/arts-and-sciences/biology/mark-dixon.cfm). Student must be able to begin work by May of 2012, and enroll in the university for the Fall 2012 semester. Interested students should contact me directly ([email protected]) and apply to the graduate program in Biology at the University of South Dakota (http://www.usd.edu/arts-and-sciences/biology/graduate.cfm). The deadline for applications is February 15. Applicants will need to provide recent GRE scores and should have an undergraduate GPA over 3.0 for admission to the program. Mark D. Dixon Assistant Professor Department of Biology University of South Dakota Vermillion, SD 57069 Phone: (605) 677-6567 Fax: (605) 677-6557 Email: [email protected]<mailto:[email protected]>
